The radical notion that women like good movies
“I’m prepared to do a nipple slip if you need it.” –Jenna Maroney, played by Jane Krakowski Female comedic duos never go out of style. First, there was Lucy and Ethel, followed by Mary and Rhoda, then Roseanne and Jackie. What makes these comedy pairings so successful is that no matter how different each woman … Continue reading “Emmy Week 2011: Jane Krakowski and the Dedicated Ignorance of Jenna Maroney”
The cast of Mad Men — aren’t they lovely? There are two significant moments in Mad Men when nostalgia is overtly discussed. The first comes in season one, episode thirteen (“The Wheel”). Don/Dick has just learned that his brother committed suicide, and he brings his feelings about his own past—particularly his strong desire to construct … Continue reading “Mad Men and the Role of Nostalgia”
This cross-post originally appeared at Fem Threads. Allison didn’t last long, but managed tothrow something at Don on the way out. Ed. Note: This post is part of FemThread’s “Mad Women” series. We also write about Joan, Peggy and Betty. Enjoy! –TC It was a code of Don’s from the very first episode of Season … Continue reading “Mad Women: The Secretaries in Mad Men”
This post contains spoilers about the first four seasons of Mad Men. 1960s America saw its share of emerging social and political movements—the civil rights movement, second wave feminism and anti-Vietnam activism, just to name a few. And in June 1969, the modern gay liberation movement was born. The Stonewall riots resulted in gay people … Continue reading “"Limit Your Exposure": Homosexuality in the Mad Men Universe”
Don Draper and Peggy Olson For me, the most endearing element of Mad Men is the humorous and detailed portrayal of developing friendships. Amidst the drinking, cheating, and general woes of the ad agency is the story of office camaraderie. There have always been back stories on different relationships that developed at Sterling Cooper, such … Continue reading “True Camaraderie: Don, Peggy, and Something to Prove”
Written by Megan Kearns, cross-posted from The Opinioness of the World. So I arrived very late to the Mad Men party. As a self-proclaimed TV connoisseur and a feminist, I’m picky about the shows I choose to let into my life. But due to the urgings of my boyfriend Jeff and my girlfriends Lauren and … Continue reading “Mad Men Week: Is Mad Men the Most Feminist Show on TV?”
Horrible Bosses (2011) This is a guest post by Byron Bailey and Kirk Boyle. Kirk’s Take: Claiming that Horrible Bosses is horrible understates the case and misleads one into thinking the movie is very unpleasant or disagreeable for formalist reasons: incoherent plotting, unsympathetic characters, humorless comedy. No. Horrible Bosses is an ideological atrocity, not just … Continue reading “Guest Writer Wednesday: Horrible Bosses and the So-Called ‘Mancession’: A Review in Conversation”
Best Picture nominee Slumdog Millionaire This is a guest post from Tatiana Christian. Set in modern day India, Slumdog Millionaire is heralded as a classic fairy-tale, rags to riches sort of story. Jamal (played by Dev Patel), a 20-year-old resident of Mumbai, is a contestant on the ever-popular Who Wants to be a Millionaire with … Continue reading “Best Picture Nominee Review Series: Slumdog Millionaire”
We often lament the state of girls’ representation in animated films–an issue that the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media is working hard to improve. If you spend some time on the site and look at the stats, what most of us already know about children’s programming becomes undeniable–boys are the norm, girls the … Continue reading “YouTube Break: ARTHUR – The Agent of Change”
The movie picks up where the last one (Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle) left off, with Harold on his way to Amsterdam to meet up with the girl he fell in love with. Kumar tags along for the sheer excitement of being legally stoned for the first time in his life. But, because … Continue reading “From the Archive: Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay”
Joel and Heather, New Year’s Releasing Balloons for Joel On Wednesday, May 25th, my brother-in-law committed suicide. (Yes, I know the obituary says he died on March 25th, and if Joel were here, we’d be laughing our asses off at that completely unacceptable typo. He’d be like, “Did the funeral home seriously screw up my … Continue reading “In Appreciation of Fathers Who Have Daughters”
X-Men First Class, 2011, Matthew Vaughn =”center”> The X-Men franchise. I’ve been a fan of this ragtag team of mutants since the first movie was released (afterwards diving into the world of comics). The movies, along with their source material, have always been clear in their metaphorical status: These are not just mutants, these are … Continue reading “Guest Writer Wednesday: ‘X-Men First Class’: I Like it, but WTF?”
